Texas Hold 'Em has become popular over the last several years due to its simplicity, the ability to accommodate a higher number of players per table, internet and tournament poker as well as televised poker. The game is played so that each player has the use of seven cards in order to form a five card poker hand. The player having the highest poker hand is the game winner. Hands are ranked in standard poker fashion, i.e. royal flush, straight flush, four of a kind, full house, flush, straight, three of a kind, two pair, one pair, and high card, in descending order.
In Texas Hold Em, each player receives two cards face down. Additionally, there are five community cards dealt face up. The term “community card” refers to a non-player specific card that is exposed (face up) and available for use by any of the players in order to form a poker hand. Each player is enabled to use seven cards (i.e. the two concealed cards held by the player, plus the five community cards that are available to each player).
In Texas Hold Em, the cards are dealt sequentially so that each player initially receives two cards face down, after which the five community cards are dealt face up. Rounds of betting occur at certain times during the course of the deal, usually after the two face down cards have been dealt, then after the third community card has been dealt (dealt three cards at one time, called the “flop”), then after the fourth community card has been dealt (the “turn”), and finally after the fifth community card has been dealt (the “river”). Thus, there are four rounds of betting, where antes and/or blinds prior to the cards being dealt are considered part of the first round.
When game rules include an ante, all players are required to put a certain fixed amount into the “pot” in order to participate in the hand. In this instance, in a typical game, the player making the first wager is the player sitting in next clockwise sequence of a button player. A blind is also a wager that is required prior to dealing any cards, but in a typical game, the two players sitting in next clockwise sequence of the button player are required to place a “blind” wager, sometimes in unequal amounts. For example, the player sitting to the immediate clockwise sequence of the button player may be considered the small blind with a first required wager amount, and the next player in clockwise sequence may be considered the big blind with a second larger required amount (typically twice the small blind amount). The usual structure is to use two blinds, but it is possible to play the game with one blind, multiple blinds, an ante, or combination of blinds plus an ante. In a two blind game, after the player cards are dealt, the player sitting in next clockwise sequence of the big blind player would make the next wager (the “first” wagers of the first wagering round being made as small blind and big blind).
Omaha is another popular poker game utilizing community cards. In Omaha, each player is dealt four face down cards (personal cards), after which a first round of betting is conducted. The dealer then deals three community cards (the “flop”), and a second wagering round is conducted. The dealer then deals a fourth community card (the “turn”), and a third round of betting is conducted. Finally, the dealer then deals a fifth community card (the “river”), and a final betting round is conducted. In a fast-action version of Omaha, the turn card and the river card are dealt together so that only three rounds of betting are conducted.
At the showdown, each player must use exactly two of their personal cards and three of the five community cards. In a HIGH-LOW game, each player can use any two personal cards for a high hand and any two pocket cards for a low hand. Typically, a best low hand is A-2-3-4-5, which may also count as a straight to be the best high hand. Straights and flushes are not considered for counting a low hand.
As is typical in poker games using community cards, a marker or “button” is used as an indicator for beginning a round of wagering, usually by the first player sitting in next clockwise sequence of the player holding the button (the button player) who is still in the game. The button is passed clockwise one player after each hand is completed. There is an inherent advantage to the button player as the button player is afforded the opportunity to see each player's wager action prior to acting. The button player can thus gain a sense about each player's hand before deciding what action to take (wager, call, raise or fold). The button player is always the last player to act until such time as the button player folds, whereby the player acting immediately prior to the button player becomes the last player to act.